Marksmanship-training device for firearms



Dec. 30, 1930. D. B. HOWARD MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING DEVICE FOR FIREARMSFiled 021'..

JNVENTOR. E: H award AT NEY Dudle Patented Der.. 3U, 193() Prsr orricl:

MARKSMANSHIP-TRAINING DVICE FORIFIRARMS Application led October 81929.Serial No. 398,168.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT F MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to training devices o for use in instructionpractice with firearms, and in particular to means for overcomingtrigger jerking and linching In tiring a rifle, pistol, or othersmall-arm, properly, the trigger must be squeezed gradually and withperfect control while endeavoring to maintain the sights aligned on thetarget. Otherwise, Vthe aim will be deranged at the instant ofdischarge. The mal, jority oi beginners experience an irresistibleimpulse to jerk the trigger quickly through its entire path of movementwithout proper coordination of the trigger manipulation with the aiming.Erratic marksmanship is the result of this simple trigger jerking.

IVhenever the aim happens to be correct or nearly so, at the time ofdischarge a bullseye or fairly close hit is obtained. A good hit isoften preceded and followed by wild shots. This is not expert shooting.

The cause of trigger-jerking is believed to be increased psycho-motortension. The j most readily recognizable evidence of this cause is notthe improper trigger manipulation, but rather the hurried tiring of aseries of shots. The interval between shots is too brief. The instructorexperiences great difficulty in forcing a person who is suspected oftrigger-jerking to pause between shots long enough to study the patternof hits. on

the target and to compute corrections in aiming, holding, etc.,necessary to improve the results. rendered easy and certain by thissymptom, D selection ci a remedy is a serious problem. The method offeeding the ammunition to the iirer round by round as needed andpreceding issue of each cartridge by calm advice, intended to reduce thestate of tension, has been tried with indifferent success.

While diagnosis of the trouble i-s' An aggravation of the tendency tojerk the trigger is the malady known as Hinching, which is commonlyassociated with gun-shyness. The flincher convulsively contracts thefirearm-holding muscles as well r as those of the trigger finger. Theaim is 'JO positively deranged, as distinguished from inability on thepart ofmost marksmen to hold steadily without slight swaying, which isnormal. Flinching results in a greater percentage of wild shots than theless serioustrigger jerking.

'A person who linches whenfiring with live ammunition may not displayany signs of flinching when practicing aiming and trigger-squeezingwithout ammunition.' Likewise he may not flinch when actually firingwith low-caliber ammunition that does not cause the weapon to kick Thisproves that linching is the unsuppressed muscular reaction produced byfear stimuli. lVhen liring a high-power weapon for the irst time, thefear is one of personal danger. After experience has shown the' dangerto be negligible the original reaction persists unless suppressed by theuse of will power.

The worst harm that can result from iring a high-powered rifle forinstance, will be a bruised shoulder and deafened ears. A small proudclass of men sco at such inl juries and refuse to pad their shoulders orto put cotton in their ears. They steel their nerves, so to speak, andlire without flinching. The great majority, however, Hinch badly undersuch conditions and even continue to do so when protected by the meansjust mentioned.

The recoil of a high-powered rifle or pistol causes it to jump to such adegree that-flinching is obscured. The convulsive muscular reactions ot'the tirer are difficult of detection by others and the tirer himself maynot realize just what he is doing. He may blame the innocentrie or thewind for his erratic shooting. i

observing hisreactions Will-have undeniable Vfinora the rate off'lireWill be regulated.

ing vcaii'mot'be `laster than the instrument Will permit. This' checkVis especially useful in prove his inching. 30v

Y device.

`used=With high-power ammunition.

tion which is about to be used by the unsuspecting tirer. @ne ormorelive eartradges-Av are -tired with possible liinching obscured byrecoil. chamber of the irearm and fails to fire When the trigger ismanipulated.

properly aimed position very noticeably.' The tirer andany other. personWhomay be Although quite effective, exposure .of tlinchingj by-trickeryis-objectionable.. The tirer, who suddenly lindsthat he has beentrickedintomaking la fool of himself, is almost. certain tov be.resentful'. He ,Willi also lbe onfhis guardagai'nstany urther'att'emptsto It.' may be possible to breakthat. man. of his'bad habit, but. moretime Will be spent than if it had-been possible to` convince` him oftthat habit by` .above beard'methods. Y

lt is the object. of the present invention to provi-de a simple,mechanical attachment for lirearms Which is` capable of4 being used; toexpose linching with.previousknovvledge on the partei the yirerthat` itisa device for that purpose. Hemay knovvbefore he-ateniptsto tirethat heis undergoing a flinchingtest.. At the saine time, he is powerless to.out-guesslthe It is up to-him'tofexert such muscularcontrol that anytendency totlinch Will-.be suppressed. Y

A urtherzobject is'tovproduce an instrument of this natu-re Whichwvillaid in the development olf proper controly inholdin-g and tiring bycal-linginto playV natural habitbreak' :metal processes. lt is adaptedto be rlhe usualear-producing stimuli Will be present and the use ofWill-power will be required,

but the instrumentstimulatesrunusal effort at controlfbecase oftheknowledge thatany liincliing reactions will surely be exposed. Appeal ismade to personal pride. Furtheralleviating psycho-motor tension.

rlvhe invention Will: be more fully Yunderstood when the followingspecific description is read inconneiitionwith the accompanyingdrawings, in Which2- rlhen, the dummy reaches the.-Y

I-'fi t'lie irer Vllinches, the firearm Will be jerkedput of Fir? Figure1 is a side elevation of an automatic pistol showing one form of theflinch-breaker attached thereto: v

Figure 2 is a plan view: p

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of this form of the device:

Figure 4t is a vertical sectionalvvievv of th same showing the lockingmember in inoper- Y ative position: y Figure is aliorizontaltsection.ofthe same Figure 6 is a vertical' section through amodified pneumatic form of the device; and Figinie 7 f iswairenlargedfragmentary view of the stein and adjusting key.

'Ehefdraivingsshowthe.inventive idea in its reduction to practice as anattachmentfor automatic pistols ofla Well known type. In adapting theinvention to other kinds of lirearnis, such as'revolvers, rifles, etc.,variations in the detailsv ofv constructions may have to be made;Regardless of thisconsideration,

-thedevicmivhicli for the...sake.of"brevity Will betermed.hindi-breaker, maybe analyzed into certain essential.v elements.-Which Wil-l in allprobability be present; in any.embodimentoradaptationa. .These elementsfare, broadly speaking,ablocking member, a lock-tor. the blocking. member, an adjusting` keyfor' the lock, and. a. shield: for. the: lock to. prevent visualiinspectionof the. condition or the :l'ock and.blockingmember...rTliisassembly of elements intended` to, be. combined. With two partsvcommon to. allz.irearms;. liring mechanism andthe frame.

V Ifthedevice istofbe intheni'ermi oifany eX- ternal atta-Climent.which. is at. the.Y present time consideredl `to be preferable for,reasons of. safety. and .interchangeable useon various lirearmsot-lieisame type,. that, partei the firing mechanismwhicli Willbeutilized Will' i probably be the. hammem cooking-piece? or equivalent'member..A lli' the 4invention .should Vbebuilt into. the rearmrsomeother suitable movable. part. of the firing mechanism may beAutili-zent.instead; In. the. specificationand claims, .the termiringjmember will be used to designate any suitable part of. the firingl mechanism as. a Wholewlnch movesV .during operation of dischargingthe1firearm and which, ifaobstructedf or locked, Will prevent" suchdischarge; y

The term frame member i ill; be used hereinafter to mean some suitablepart-iol"l the iirearm which is held sidist'antiallystationaryK .withthe barrel.uur-.innoperation of. the firing mechanism in iringaL-.atarget. Suchafframe member may be the slide oi!- theV automaticpistohthe'iirame of a revolver, or the stock or barrel breech ofafrifle., i Y

lin-the illustrative embodiment oftheA invention an attaching member lisadapted to be clamped on the slide 2 of the pistol as 'a support forthe blocking member 3,.W.hich is mounted on a pivotdisposed.intermediate of its extremities. @neend of the blocking memillberf is disposed in the path* of' movement, of thepistol hammer andshould be beveled as at 5 in orderthat thevhainmerlmaydeflect it out'of; the way 'to permit.- firing. when the blncking Vmemben is n-otl lb@liedy against movement by means `which willinow 'be described.

A hollow shield 6 is supported: by the attaching memberror clamp,. l..This shield may be in the cylindrical form show-n tofit the lock orchance device,` as it may be termed, which is cincularin cross' section.Shield 5 has a slot? throughiwhich the en'd'of blockingA Inember.Yopposite to the end which isadapted? to be disposed inthe pathot thefiring member may'eittend into the interior thereof.

Referring particularly to Figures t and 5, a convenient form of lock isdisclosed. rThis lock consists ofa slotteddiscfattached to' a.Arotatable stem 9. Thestem is axially disposed in the cylindrical snieldandlias its lower end journaledin the bearing l0: The upperend ot' thestem is shown extending through a central opening l1: in a removablecover l2 forl the shield. The protruding upper'end ofthe stem 91 shouldbe cylindrical inV form in' order that' the. position of the lock willnotl be revealed as might be-the case if the stem were of any othercross-section.

a; A cylindrical socket. 9u is provided in this upper end of the stema-ndhasa` transverse key slot 9h in its bo tom;` Aznadjusting key 13 isadapted to tit' the socket in'` the=lockste1n. This'key is preferablyinthe i'iorni. ofalyrwheelwith aicentral, cylindrical'shanlrmatchL thelock stem in'esize. A; reducedportion 13o tits the socket 9a and has atransverse spline 9b adapted to engage.the key. slot- 9b.. Theshoulderon4 the key slianlqwhich is a function of: the reduction otporticnila; will on the upper endet thelockstemwhen the key is ininseand thereby aid the shield 6 in completely masking the conditionoifthelock'. The flywheel construction facilitates manipulation of the key tospin the lock on its axis and gives added moment-fum to the lock' toincrease the duration ofits spinning.

lt will be noted thatthe lock'. disc 8 has aplurality -ot'pairs ofopposedslotsla. This arrangement ofislots results in a well bal anced.spinning lock. The width. ofI each slot should exceed the width of' theinwardly projecting` end ot blocking member in order to permitfree'movemfent of the latter through any which may happen to be disposedin registration with the slot- T in shield 6 when the loci is rest. Thelock disc should be located on stem fimmedirately below theinner endofthe blocking member when the latter is in its `normal position of restwith its inner end bearing against the cover 19a-ot the shield. Theblocking-member maintained in this position due to the tact that it isunbalanced, the end portion which projects across the pathof thetiring.'` member the purpose of the invention, ity is desirable nthatithe chances ofthe blocking member being either obstructed by thelock or free to rock on its pivot, when the disc, has come torest afterbeing spun, shall he equal. For that reason the total area of the discslots in a horizontal plane shouldbe equal to the total areaof; thesolid disc portions.

The operation. of the device will nowlbe described.y Assuming that an.instructor in marksmanship suspects iiinching onzthe part of: someparticular tirer 'in pistol practico, .he clamps the'iiinch breaker onthe pistol slide in the position shown inFigure 1preterably while-thepistol isnot loaded. ln this posi-- tion, the,` outer end of theblocking member will rest onitop of the hammer when the latter is in itsforward, liringposition,.providedthe lock. of' the ilinch bre-akeris insuch a posifion thatthe inne-r end ofthe blocking-mem;

ben is projectinglinto one of? the disc slots.

The tirer is-then required to load thepistol, which includes pulling'the slide back to cause insertion of one cartridge into the chamber.During; rearward motion of the slide, the blocking` memberwillreturn toits normal position of rest when the hammer'has been cocked; The lockmay now beset inV an indeterminate position by spinningthe fly `wheel;The'instructor may do this himself,

but it may be more effective to require the iirer to perform thisoperation7 because any resulting e-Xposureol linching and the attendantembarrassment' will be due to the rers owniact. There can be` noresentment toward the instructor. VVhenthelcck ceases to-spin of its'ownaccorchor is stopped by graspingfthe fly wheel with the tingers the lockwillbe in one of its two conditions. lt will either lock the blockingmember or permit free'niovement of the same. Neither the instructor northe tirer can determine the condition of the lock from the externalappearance of the instrument. It the lock is set to obstruct movement otthe blocking member the hammer of the pistol willA be checked by theblocking member when the trigger is squeezed and the pistol willnotfire. On the other hand, if the lock is in its inoperative condition,the blocking member will be deflected bythe hammer'and the `pistol willtire; This statel ot uncertainty presents a problem to the tirer whichcauses him to pause and do a little thinking before attempting tosqueeze, the trigger. The gun may fire. It it should do that, it willkick and make a loud report. that gives him the impulse to. jerk thetrigvger quickly andhave it over with, but he realizes that, if the gunhappens to be locked against firing, such hasty manipulation of thetrigger and other possible exaggerated contraction of thepistol-holdingmuscles Will cause the Whole pistol to be jerked out ofproper aiming position. Such flinching Willbe noticed by the instructorand any other bystanders and will provethathe is unable to control hismuscles. lf he has any personalpride he Will not Want to shovv such lackof control. rl`herefore, he will be distinctly on his mettle and Willtry hard to suppress .his usual reactions. He Will try to squeeze thetrigger slowly and gradually While maintaining the sights aimed at thetarget. He may be able to complete the trigger squeezing properly thefirst time. Usually, the tendency to jerk and fiinch Will a-ssail him inthe midst of his trigger squeezing. He may make a desperate effort toregain control by releasing the trigger and starting all overV againwith his trigger squeezing. However, he may not be able to overcome theimpulse and may flinch. Should the gun happen to fire, his flinching maybe obscured. If the gun is prevented from )firing there Will be atell-tale indication of iiinching which the iirer cannot deny. The iirershould be required to use the flinch-breaker until he has proven thatproper control has been regained. ln such use, the device Will assistthe instructor in the exercise of strict fire discipline. In fact, aflincher Who is honest Withhimself can make use of the flinch-breakervoluntarily as a means for subjecting himself to lire discipline Withoutmaking it necessary for` aninstructor to Work With him. rlhe deviceshould prove to be most eiiicacious under such self-enforced use, forthe tirer will have the right mental attitude from the start.

The flinch-breaker lend-s itself to other uses in instruction practiceWith small arms, such as putting the brake on the tendency towardhurried firing on the part of men who do not actually flinch but couldshoot better if they were more 'deliberate and careful. Such uses shouldbe apparent to persons skilled in the art to which it pertains.

A modified form of lock for theV flinch breaker is disclosed in Figure6. lnstead'ot1 having a slotted disc, the disc 15 is solid throughoutand forms a piston movable Within the cylinder 16 formed by the shield.The piston is longitudinally slidable on the spining stem 17. Thecylinder has a'plurality of air vents 18 in its bottom Wall and a valve'plate with ports 2O adapted to register With the vents 18 is attachediXedly to the stem 17 in close proximity to the bottom'of the cylinder.A spring 21 interposed between the piston and the valve plate serves tomaintain the piston normally in Contact with the The thought of lblocking member 22 When the latter is in its normal position of rest. Toprevent undue friction in the spinning of the stem, the piston 15 andthe valve plate `19 should lit loose- Vly Within the cylinder so thatpractically all of the friction is in the bearings for the stem. .Theoperation of this pneumatic` form of the invention is as follows: Whenthe lock-` stem has been spun in the usual manner and has come'to rest,the bottom portion ofthe cylinder-Will either be open to the atmosphereor closed by the valve 19. lf the valve should1 be closedthe firingmember, upon striking the blocking member, Will cause the .inner end ofthe latter to exert pressure on pression of the piston Will be freelypermited, due to the rapid expulsion of air through the valve ports, andthe gun Will fire.

ln either form of the invention, the removable cover for the cylindricalshield serves an additional purpose. Being screw-threaded in itsengagement With the shield, it is capable of vertical adjustment. Thecover therefore serves as convenient means for precision adjustment ofthe blocking member anguarly onits pivot to bring the beveled end intoproper vertical relation to the path of movement of thefiring member.

ln adapting the invention to various types of fire arms and in improvingand simplifying its construction for any type of lire arm, obviousmodifications may be made Without departing from the essentialprinciples disclosed herein and covered by the appended claims.

1. The combination With a firearm including a firing member, of meansfor locking the firing ,member against firing movement,

vmeans for shielding the locking means to conceal theoperative conditionthereof, and an adjusting member for the locking means, the adjustingmember being ofV a construction and movable mounting to conceal changeslin adjustment.

2. ln a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement With the frame of the'firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching member.

arated by slots and adapted to be adjusted' to bring solid portions andslots alternately kAll() into the path of movement of the' blockingmember to obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit freemovement ofthe same respectively.

`3. In a device of the class described, an atl taching member forengagement with the frame ot the firearm a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching memberv and adapted when secured againstmovement to block firing operation of the tiring meinber a lock for theblocking member including a movable member having solid portionsseparated by slots and adapted to be adjusted to l bring solid portionsand slats aiternately into the path ot movement of the blocking memberto obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit free movement ofthe same respectively, and means for adjusting the lock member.

4. In a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement With the frame of the firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching member and adapted when secured againstmovement to block firing operation of the iiring member, a lock for theblocking member including a movable member having solid portionsseparated by slots and adapted to be adjusted to bring solid portionsand slots alternately into the path of movement of the blocking memberto obstruct movement of the blocking member and permit free movement ofthe same respectively, vand means for shielding the lock member toconceal its adjusted position.

5. In a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement With the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching member and adapted When secured againstmovement to block tiring operation of the tiring member, and a lockincluding a rotary member having a portion adapted to be brought intoposition to obstruct movement o the blocking mem-V ber, a shieldenclosing the lock to conceal the operative condition thereof fromexternal view, and means 'for rotating the look member.

G. ln a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement with the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching member and adapted when secured againstmovement to block firing operation of the tiring member, and a lockincluding a rotary member having a portion adapted to be brought intoposition to obstruct movement of the blocking member, a shield enclosingthe lock to conceal the-operative condition thereof from eX- ternalview, and a rotatable operating stem of circular cross-section for thelock member projecting exteriorly from the shield.

7. In a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement With the frame of a firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attaching member and reduced end formed telit the keysocket inV the operating stem for the lock member.

8. In a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement vvith` the` :trame ofa firearm, a blocking member movablymounted on the attachingjmember and adapted when securedAagainst-movement to block firing operation of the `firing member, and alook including arotary member having a portion adapted to be broughtinto. position to vobstruct movement of the blocking member, a shieldenclosing the lock to conceal the operative condition thereotfromexternal view, a rotatable operatingstem of circular cross-section forVthe lock .memberproj ecting exteriorly from the shield, the operatingstem having a key socket in its outer end, a manipulating key ofcircular cross-section having an axial stem portion With av reduced endformed` to lit the key socket in the operating stem for the lock member,and a-yivheel of circular cross-section` formed on the manipulating key.

9. In a device of the class described, anattaching member for engagementwith the :trame of a firearm, a blocking member movably; mounted on `theattaching member and adapted when secured againstmmement to blockiiringoperation ofthe tiring member, and a` lock including a rotarymember having a portion adapted to be broughtinto Aposition to(obstruct. movement j of theblocking member, a shield enclosingthe lockto conceal the operative conditionthereof from external view, arotatable operating stem'o circular cross-section Vfor the lock memberprojecting exteriorlyffrom the shield, and a flywheel of circular.cross-section adapted to.,

be mounted on the protruding end of thel operating stem. f

l0. na device. of theclassdescribed, anV attaching member for engagementwith the `frame-oa lirearm, a blocking member Apivotally mrninted4 ontheattaching member and having an end portion adapted to project Vinto thepath of movement or" the iiring member,- a hollow cylindrical shieldsupported by the attaching member and having slot in its side Wall, theend portion of the blocking member opposite to the portion projectinginto the path of the firing member being extendedV through the shieldslot int-o the in- GOvv terior of thev shield Jfor angular movement;therein, one end oftheshield being open, van adjustable cover for theopen end of the shield adapted to contact with the innerendV of theblocking member to form a stop there- `for, and locking means for theblocking member mounted Within the shield.

11. In a device of the class described, an attaching member forengagement with thel frame of a rearm, a blocking member pivotallymounted on the attaching member and having an en'd'portion adapted toproject into the path of movement of the iring member, a hollowcylindrilcal'shield supported by the attaching member and having aslot'V in its side Wall, the end portion of the blocking member oppositeto the portion projecting into the path of the firing member being eX-.

in one adjusted position lof the "former and :for permitting freeoperation'of theliringj member in another position. 'Y v V14. rlhecombination WithY .a firearm cludmg a frame member and a tiring member,

ofa chance device movably mounted in onel of the members and adapted toyassume any one of a plurality-of different positions,

means for shielding the chance device tol conceal the adjusted positionof the same,

an adjustingmember for the chance rotatably mounted in Athe member whichbears the chance deviceand having-.an exposed nianipulating portion ofcircularcross-section.V

In testimony whereof I amx my signature.- DUDLEY B. HOI/VARI).

tended through the shield slot into the intepf riory of theshi'eld forangular 'movement therein, one end of the lshield being open, an

adjustable cover for'the open end Vof the shield adapted to contact withthe inner end" of the blocking' member to form a stop there- Jfor, andlocking means for the blockingmember mounted Within the shield, andincluding a rotatable stem `projecting eXteriorly' through the open endofthe shield, the shield cover having a bearing opening through Whichthe stem projects, and a disc mounted tixedly on the stem Withintheshieldand having solid portions separated Vby radial slots adapted tobe interchangeably disposed in a' position to block or permit freemove-v' ment ofV the inner end of the blocking member.

12. A device of the'class described comprising an attaching memberadapted to be engaged with the frame of a firearm, a chancedevicefmovably mounted in the attaching member and adapted to assume anyone of. a pluralityl of dilerent positions, means for shielding thechance device to conceal Vthe adjusted position of the same," adjustingmeans for the chance device externally ex-V posed and being of aconstruction and movable mounting which Will not revealy changes inadjustment, and means controlled by the chance device for locking thetiring mechanism of the iirearm in oneadjusted position of the formerandfor permitting free operagu) "l llQ

